Feast Meets West is a celebration of Asian culture through the lens of food. We are a platform for socializing the diversity of the Asian experience, sharing the history of iconic dishes to the underrepresented foods, and amplifying the voices of the passionate people in the world of Asian food.

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Jan 18 Episode 41: Nom Wah Tu + Beverage Pairings for Chinese Food

Food is on the Lazy Susan, it keeps coming out, and you’re just taking shots with people you love.

— Phillip Szabados describing Chinese drinking culture

Happy new year! After an extremely cold winter break and a freakin' bomb cyclone, we start 2018 right with an in-depth discussion on two of our favorite things: booze and Chinese food.

After having interviewed Nom Wah chefs Jonathan Wu and Calvin Eng in past seasons, we finally get around to talking to the beverage team of Nom Wah Tu to better understand what exactly pairs well with the many flavors and spices found in Chinese cuisine.

In the first episode of the year, Lynda sat down with General Manager and Beverage Director, Sophie Maarleveld, as well as the creative mind behind Nom Wah Tu's cocktails, Phillip Szabados, to talk natural wine, Chinese-inspired bitters, and the differences between Western and Chinese drinking culture. Plus, a live tasting in the studio!

What I want to see is less definition around beverage and what you are supposed to drink and not drink with Chinese food. And people being more open to drinking all kinds of things with Chinese food, and not being like, I have to have tea, or Tsing Tao, or riesling.